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Zelda ran. She ran hard. Fast. Faster than she thought she ever could. She ran away from the assassin in a red bodysuit who was faster than her. The one who would catch up eventually. The one with the curved blade and bone-white mask with a blood red inverted eye in its center.
The princess’s side burned as she struggled to pull each raggedy breath into her lungs. Her legs became heavier and heavier with each stumbling step she took. Frightened, Zelda risked a glance back at her pursuer and swore as she saw that they were closing in. She looked forward only to see two new Yiga in her path. “When did they get here?” she thought desperately.
She didn’t have time for that. She needed to get out of this mess. It wasn’t just for her own sake, but all of Hyrule’s. If the goddess’s chosen avatar died, Ganon would surely prove indestructible. It was that thought more than anything that gave Zelda strength. With renewed energy, she skidded to a halt before the new ambushers and turned around to escape the other way. But she couldn’t. Not when the original assassin was right there, flipping their sickle in their hand excitedly. Zelda cried out in panic.
She shouldn’t have gone out here without Link beside her. It was too late though. Knowing hope was futile, the princess took a step backward. As she did so, she lost her balance and landed in a heap on the ground. Zelda could swear she heard one of her attackers laugh. Terrified, Zelda screamed, “Link!! Help!” But of course he didn’t hear. He was asleep at the inn. He didn’t even know she wasn’t in the next bed over anymore. He couldn’t reach her fast enough.
The Yiga advanced. One of them raised their sickle above their head and prepared to bring it down on Zelda. “So this is how I die?” She thought. “Alone, muddy, scared, cowering on the ground. No Ganon, no goddess, no hope, and no Link.”
Zelda accepted it. It was strange how seconds away from death, she lost all terror. It was unavoidable. What is the point of fear if no amount of adrenaline can save you?
In that peaceful, serene moment, that intense quiet as around her, assassins sealed her fate, that is when he came.
In a flash of movement he stood over her crumpled body and sent the sickle out of the assassin’s hand, cutting them in the chest with the Master Sword. Link spun to face the other two Yiga who stepped back anxiously. Link twitched his sword, a silent warning. They turned tail and ran.
Link let out a breath and hurried to Zelda. “Princess! Are you hurt?” Link knelt beside her and inspected her clothes, face, and hands for any injury.
“Link! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have given you the slip. I’m fine, thanks to you, but…” She didn’t say the words that were on the tip of her tongue: “I would have been dead if you were a second later.”
Link shook his head and helped her sit up. “No, no. What important is that your alright. Still, next time you want to go for a sunset stroll, you should probably tell me.”
She nodded and flung herself into his arms. The stayed like that, huddled together, for a long time, silent. Link pretended not to notice the tears which slid down Zelda’s face and onto his shoulder. He pretended not to notice the soft sobs which racked her body every few seconds. He pretended not to notice these things, to be an honorable and dutiful knight, yet he still hugged her closer. He pretended he didn’t notice her distress, and yet he whispered soothing words into her ear.